Sheet feeding method and gauging mechanism therefor



Jan. 25, 1944.

J. AN EIROS SHEET FEEDING METHOD AND GAUGING MECHANISM THEREFOR Fi ledSepi. 13, 1941 FIG.2.

FIG3.

ATTORNEYS.

m m TM WW E s N%/ M Y B 8 24 m 0 4 Q Patented Jan. 25,

OFFl-CE Y SHEET FEEDING METHOD AND GAUGING MECHANISM THEREFOR JosephAneiros, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to E. W. Bliss Company, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 13, 1941, Serial No.410,777 9 Claims. (01. 271-60) The present invention relates to a sheetgau ing mechanism and is devised for use in machines serving for cuttingor trimming sheet material. In particular, the mechanism is applicablein scroll shear presses used for cutting out accurately sized blank fromwhich a multiplicity of smaller blanks are subsequently punched out.

The object of the invention is to provide mean for accurate registrationof blanks which are fed into a-blank cutting machine such as a scrollshearing press, or other machine for cuttin sheet material. When blanksare fed into the the case in modern machines of the aforementioned typthe momentum gathered in the blank imparts to the same an impulse offorward movement after the driving power has ceased to act, said impulsecarrying the blank along beyond the point of registration, thusrendering accurate positioningof blanks for trimming and cuttingpurposes diiiicult, if not impossible. Such accurate positioning is,however,- of very great importance to obtain the desired results withabsolute reliability.

The present invention provides a gauging mechanism which allows ofaccurate registration in a simple way. Instead of arranging the line ofregistration, at which the incoming blank is stopped and positioned forbeing worked upon,

' machine at a considerable rate of speed, as is in the direction offeed, I allow the blank to travel in that direction without skipping itabruptly at agiven point. Moreover, means are provided to push the blankin the opposite direction where a positive stop is caused by appropriatearrangement. Since this back drivin force is much less powerful than thedriving force of the feeding mechanism, accurate registration at thisstage of travel is easily accomplished.

. For the above outlined purpose I provide means for frictionallyengaging said blank when it arrives in the machine, which means arecarried along by the blank until all the force moving it forward isspent. engagement with the blanks consists of a movable block or thelike, which carries in its front end an elastic means secured to theframe of the machine. The elastic means is compressed when the block iscarried forward by the blank. As soon as the forward movement comes to astop. which need not be at any well defined point at all, the movableblock or carrier is urged back by the action of the elastic means takingthe The means for frictional direction of back travel, thus providingthe accurate registration as set forth. I

As mentioned above, one of the intended uses for my improved sheetgauging mechanism is the combination with a scroll shear press adaptedto receive metal sheets and to out the same into a series of scrolledged blanks which are subsequently fed through automatic die presseswhich cut and form a multiplicity of can tops from each of said blanks.Since the primary object of providing scroll edged blanks is to achievethe greatest possible economy of metal in subsequently punching out thecan tops, it will be apparent that the blanks should be cut accuratelyto the required size. Oversize blanks would result in Waste of material,while undersize blanks would result in-defective can tops.

The usual commercial sheets obtained from the mill do not haveaccurately out edges and it is, therefore, impracticable to use suchedges.

for effective registration in the successive shearing operations. toprovide registering points which are mployed as gauge points inpositioning the sheet for making the scroll cuts. i

My improved means for accuratel positioning the sheets when arrivingfrom the feed-in mechanism makes it possible to have initially trimmedblanks with perfectly straight parallel margin lines, the successiveoperations in the press being greatly simplified thereby.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of blank along to the positive stop arranged in the themeans hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in theclaimsi the annexed drawing and the following description setting forthin detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosedmeans constituting, however, but one of various means in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a scroll shearpress with the sheet gauging mechanism forming the invention built intothe press;

' 2 is a top plan view of the said mechanism;

Fig. 3 shows the mechanism in section along lines 3'-3 of F18. 2; andvFig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2. v

Referring to Fig. l, '5 is the rigid frame of a blank cuttingmachine,this frame providing a fiat bed 6 along which the sheets are fed onto aplatform I, from the left-hand side in Fig. 1. At the rear of the frame5 is disposed a recipro- Special means had to be applied anism arelocated below the platform I and are, 5

therefore, likewise not shown in the drawing. This arrangement of theoperating mechanism below the platform has the advantage of eliminatingany possibility of oil, or grease dripping on the sheet under treatment.The main shaft from which the dies are driven is shown at 8, other partsof the driving mechanism comprising a wheel I4, a rod l5 slidablymounted therein, sprockets H and I2 as well as chains lOand l8,

all .of which cooperate in a well-known manner to effect areciprocating'movement in the working parts of the machine, thusadvancing the blank for a predetermined space to have successivetrimmings and cuttings performed thereon.

The sheet gauging mechanism is built into the frame between uprightmembers 22, one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The mechanism is duplicatedon each side of the machine and hence a description of one side willsufiice for both.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, so is a castingex- 2 tending transverselyover the bed of the machine and secured to the frame of the same betweenthe uprights 22. A crossbar 26 extends parallel to casting 60, saidcrossbar 26 having portions and 24 for housing sheet engaging member 2!and a longitudinal bar 28 respectively. Bar 28 is secured to crossbar 26by means of a pin 30 and nut H. Member 29 is a roller carried in abearing 32 within a slide block 33 upon which a spring 34 acts.. Theother end of the spring bears 35 against the head of an adjusting bolt35 held down by a nut 36.

A carriage 40 is arranged underneath said roller 29 and cooperatingtherewith in a groove of a casting 4| secured to the frame of the ma- 40chine. Said groove is longer than carriage 4! to an extent that willallow a certain movement of e said carriage under 'the impact of theincoming sheet. Carriage 40 is slidably supported on rollers 42 andbears against a spring 45. the otherend of said spring being secured toframe 4| by bolt 48 and nut '49.

The carriage 40 has its surface slightly raised above the level of theplatform I, but beveled at so the end receiving the incoming sheets,thereby being adapted to readily receive said sheets and to carry themin said raised plane and thus take complete control of their movement.

A gauge finger ill, pivotally mounted at II on casting I, bears on theframe 4| under the con- 5 trol of a spring I2, likewise mounted on saidcasting 40.

The operation of the sheet gauge mechanism is as follows: I

form I by means of any known feed-in mecha- Sheet material is fed ontothe platnism, delivering sheets at a rate of 100 or more per minute. Theincoming sheets are swept beneath fingers 5| owing to the force of thefeeding thrust, lifting said fingers out of their way,

but being frictionally engaged by carriages 4.

which are arranged at both sides of the platiorm. and being held inengagement with the carriages by spring-controlled rollers 28. Theimpact of the blank pushes the carriage along towards the wall 41.spring 45 absorbing the shock and preventing the carriage with thesheet thereon from being abruptly stopped in its movement. As theimpact'of the sheet is spent. spring 45 is free to return to its formerposition, imparting to the carriage and the blan held ere n a. movement3 not shown, provided at the rear end of the machine in a well knownmanner.

, While I have described the operation of my improved sheet gaugingmechanism in combination with a scroll shearing press it will be readily"understood that it may be used in combination with any blank trimmingor cutting machine, where accurate registration of the incoming sheetsis of a major importance.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means andthe steps herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any'of thefollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a method for feeding sheets to' a cutting station of a blankcutting machine, the steps of providing a movable carrier as a shockabsorbing means, receiving the incoming sheets travelling at aconsiderable speed on said movable carrier, allowing said carrier toadvance with the sheets under the impact thereof, urging said carrierand sheets back under the control of a force weaker than the drivingforce of the feed-in mechanism and arranging a positive stop for saidsheets at the rear of the line reached by their prevlcus'forward travel.

2. In a method for feeding sheets to a cutting station of a blankcutting machine, the steps of 48 providing a movable carrier as a shockabsorbe ing. means for receiving the incoming sheets which are travelingat a considerable speed, allowing said carrler to advance'with thesheets under the impact thereof, urging said carrier and sheets backunder the control of a force weaker than the driving force of thefeed-in mechanism and originating from a source disposed at a point onthe incoming path of said sheets before they reach the cutting station,and arranging a positive stop for said sheets at the rear of thelinereached by their previous forward travel.

3. In a method for feeding sheets to a cutting station of a blankcutting machine, the steps of providing a movable carrier as a shockabsorbing means, receiving the incoming sheets travelling at aconsiderable speed between said movable carrier and a pressure exertingmeans, allowing the sheets to travel on said carrier against theresistance of elastic means disposed at a point on the incoming path ofsaid sheets before they reach the cutting station, said travelling con.-tinuing until the driving :force or the feed-in mechanism is spent,urging the sheets back under the control of said elastic means andarranging a positive stop for said sheets at the rear of the linereached by their previousforward travel.

4. In a Llank cutting machine comprising a means for feeding sheets to aplatform on a cutting mechanism, means for advancing said sheets oversaid platform to the cutting working station and means for feeding thecut blanks out aasenae of said machine in combination, a sheet gaugingmechanism comprising a movable carrier-block for receiving the incomingsheets travelling at a considerable speed and for frictionally engagingtherewith, yielding means disposed between the entrance for said sheetson said platform and the cutting station, said means being adapted tocooperate with said carrier-block in absorbing the shock of saidincoming blanks and imparting thereto a movement in 'the oppositedirection and means for positively stopping and register ing said sheetsat a position behind the line reached by their previous forward travel.

t 5. In a blank cutting machine, a sheet'gauging 'mechanism as claimedin claim 4 characterized by duplicate carrier blocks, one on each sideof the machine. I

a 6. In a blank cutting machine comprising means for feeding sheets to aplatform on a cut ting mechanism, means for advancing said sheets oversaid platform to the working stations, and means for feeding the cutblanks out of said machine in combination a sheet gauging mechanismcomprising on both sides of the machine a carriage located in agroovelonger than said carriage, said carriages being adapted to receivethe incoming sheets travelling at'a speed of at least one hundred perminute and to frictionally engage therewith, a spring mounted betweeneach of said carriages and one wall ofsaid grooves for cooperating withsaid carriages in absorbing the shock of said incoming blanks and forimparting -thereto a movement in the opposite direction, a springcontrolled member for holding said sheets on said carriage while inengagement therewith, andmeans for positively stopping and registeringsaid sheets at a position behind the line reache by their previousforward travel.

'I. In a blank cutting a machine comprising means for feeding sheets toa platform on a cutting mechanism, means for advancing said sheets oversaid platform to the working stations, means for feeding the cut blanksout of said machine in combination, a sheet gauging mechanism,comprising on both sides of the machine a carriage for receiving theincoming sheets travelling at considerable speed, said carriage beinglocated in a groove of greater length than said carriage and having asurface raised above the level of the working platform of the machine,

said surface being adapted to hold the incoming sheets in frictionalengagement, a spring mounted between the front wall of each of saidcarriages and one end wall of the groove for cooperating with saidcarriages in absorbing the shock oi said incoming blanks and impartingto said carriages and the blank transported thereon a movement in theopposite direction, a spring loaded member located above said carriagesfor holding down said sheets, a pivotally mounted finger for positivelystopping and registering said sheets at a position behind the linereached by previous forward travel, and a spring for returning saidfinger after it has been moved out of the path of travel of the incomingblanks.

8. A sheet gauging mechanism comprising on both sidesof the machine acarriage located in a groove longer than said carriage, said carriagebeing adapted to receive the incoming sheets and frictionally engagetherewith, a spring mounted between said carriage and one wall of saidgroove for absorbing the shock of said incoming blanks and impartingthereto a movement in the opposite direction, a spring controlled memberfor holding said sheets on said carriage while in engagement therewith,and means for positively stopping and registering said sheets at aposition behind the line reached by their previous for-- ward travel.

9. A sheet gauging mechanism, comprising on both sides of the machine acarriage located in a groove of greater length than said carriage, saidcarriage having a surface raised above the level of the working platformof themachine, said surface being adapted to receive the incoming sheetsand frictionally engage therewith, a spring mounted between the frontwall of said carriage and one end wall of the groove for absorbing theshock of said incoming blanks and imparting to said carriage and theblank transported thereon a movement in the opposite direction, a springloaded member located above said carriage'for holding down said. sheets,a pivotally mounted finger for positively stopping and registering said3 sheets at a position behind the line reached by previous forwardtravel, and a spring for returning said finger after ithas been movedout of the path of travel of the. incoming blanks.

' JOSEPH ANEIROS.

